


Root Beer and Kale Salad

by Rosesdancinginmymind (orphan_account)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-02
Packaged: 2018-03-16 01:37:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3469586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: “From now on the only thing on the lunch menu is root beer and kale salad.” - SQ oneshot based on 4x13 - a before and after the Chernabog incident with established SQ.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Root Beer and Kale Salad

The table shakes as the demon roars outside and Emma watches as Regina's face pales. They know now what the Chernabog is after – it will strike the one who has the greatest potential for darkness. Regina thinks she knows the target. She doesn't but for now fear consumes her. She's come so far and finally reached a point wherein she's happy. She lost Robin but found Emma. She has Henry and her family and for once she feels ridiculously happy in a way she never thought she could be.

Typical really, she thinks, she finally finds what she's looking for and now she's going to become lunch for some bat-winged beast. She sighs. It can only be her. Rumple is gone. Who else would the monster seek but her? Regardless of whether or not she'd choose darkness it still lurks in her heart.

It's Emma who comes up with the solution. The Chernabog is made of magic so toss it into a land without magic and poof it will disappear destroyed by the lack of dark magic to connect to. Now they just have to get the monster to the line and that means live bait. It means her.

Regina knows the potential consequences. She knows that she could still end up dead if it catches up to them too fast. She could end up knocked over the line with the monster and be lost to her family regardless. Either way she sees no good way out. The worst case is that the Chernabog kills them both and the thought makes Regina's heart sink in her chest.

She doesn't want to leave Emma and Henry but she can't bear the thought of either of them suffering because of her.

A tear rolls down her cheek as she thinks of the ones she loves. Henry, who filled the hole in her heart and who she has finally rebuilt a relationship with. They talk about things like whether Wolverine or Hulk would win in a fight or what he's studying at school and Regina loves it. She doesn't want to leave that behind. There's Snow, Charming and Neal who she's grown attached to and now oddly enough she cannot imagine being part of a family without them.

Then of course there's Emma. Emma who promised her a happy ending and helped her fight for it. She stood by Regina's side and pored through story books with her. They've eaten lunches and dinners which eventually evolved into movie nights and drinks. They grew closer and talked and after about four weeks of this they realised that their happy ending was right beneath their noses the whole time.

Since then they've had three wonderful weeks of living in a happy and peaceful bubble. No-one knows about them yet and they've decided to keep it that way for now. Neither one of them is used to being happy and in love and they wanted to savour the moments.

Regina wishes they'd had more.

They hurtle towards the town line and nervous tension fills the car. Neither is ready to lose the other. "What made you choose yellow?" she asks. Her tone is filled with sass and snark but it's to keep the mood light. If she's about to die then she at least wants to talk even if it is about the car. She just wants to hear Emma's voice.

"I like yellow," Emma shrugs, "Besides it was available at the time. I stole it 16 years ago and is now really the time to be criticising the Bug?"

"Well I'm sorry if I want to distract myself from the fact that I will soon be a demon's lunch."

"You won't be," Emma says confidently. She will not let that happen. She's missed out on happiness for a lot of reasons and she won't miss out again. She won't lose another person she loves. She can't. She promised Regina they were in this together and she meant it.

"I'm glad you're confident," Regina replies as she flicks a worried glance at the door mirror only to see the beast gaining on them, and far too quickly.

"I am," Emma says, "I told you I wasn't going to just let you sacrifice yourself and I meant it. You are not dying Regina. I need you."

_I need you_. Those are three words that float through Regina's heart like a soothing balm and for a moment she lets them sink in and calm her. She lets herself be enveloped by the love and hope those words tumbling from Emma's lips make her feel.

The moment is shattered by the Chernabog landing on the bonnet of the car and clawing at the windscreen. Glass smashes and covers both women and Regina knows her time is up. She looks at Emma and takes one last glorious second to take in every inch of Emma. If she's to die then she's not dragging Emma down with her. She leans across quickly squeezing Emma's hand.

"Thank you for trying," she says. It means much more than trying to shield her from the Chernabog. It's a gratitude for trying to give her a happy ending, for showing her light and love when she thought all hope was lost. For three weeks they were blissfully happy and Regina will cherish those days.

She thinks of that love and her desire to protect her family.

"Regina," Emma warns but Regina poofs away in a cloud of purple smoke before Emma can stop her. "REGINA!" Emma screams as cold terror hits her hard. She knows why Regina poofed away. She did it to protect her, to shield her from getting pulled into the crossfire but Emma won't run away. She won't let Regina go through this alone.

She won't let Regina die.

Emma puts her foot down and speeds the car up heading towards the town line. "Hey!" She hears Regina's shout before she sees her. Regina stands just before the town line, composed and strong though Emma can see the fear in her eyes. Regina meets her gaze for a second and Emma can see wistfulness and sadness there. She can feel it in her own heart.

Another pang of dread hits her as she sees how close Regina is to the town line. This could all backfire so badly and it's horrifying. One mistake. One second off and she could lose Regina forever. It feels like her heart breaks just at the thought. She slams down hard on the brakes sending the monster hurtling forward.

Emma's never been more relieved when Regina ducks. The Chernabog flies through the air and over the line before dissolving into dust. Regina looks up in shock as it disappears and her heart freezes in her chest for a minute. She survived. She made it. They did it.

They have another day together and hopefully many more.

She hears the Bug's door opening and looks up to see Emma. She smiles as joy and relief floods her heart. She wants to run forward, hold Emma and never let go. Emma steps towards her with a matching loving smile. Emma walks over to her and they stand by the town line staring out at the spot where the monster vanished.

It was close, far too close and for a moment they're too stunned to speak or act.

It's Regina who moves first placing her hand on Emma's shoulder, "Thank you," she whispers, "For not giving up on me."

"Never," Emma promises, Regina's hand slowly and reluctantly slipping from her shoulder as the headlights of her parents' car descends upon them.

* * *

After a long day both Emma and Regina collapse into bed at the mansion. Henry is fast asleep in his room after an afternoon of reassurances that both his Moms are okay and homework about birds. It was a big project but they all needed the distraction today. As they slip into their pyjamas and slide into bed facing each other the distractions melt away and both just want to hold on to each other and give into the fear that has been brimming at the surface all day.

Arms wrap around waists and hold on tight neither woman saying anything at first as they simply revel in the warmth and reassurance of the embrace.

It's Emma who breaks the silence with a small sob of, "Oh Regina."

"I'm here," Regina says in a shaky voice. She doesn't know if those words are to comfort Emma or herself. She snuggles closer to Emma as she rests her forehead against the blonde's.

"I know," Emma says, "But you were so close the line and that evil bat thing and god I almost lost you. Regina I can't lose you."

"You didn't."

"That's not the point," Emma replies even they both know it, "I know why you thought the monster was after you but I don't think it was."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that it was after the person who has the greatest potential for darkness and that's not you. When that thing came at the car you poofed yourself away to save me. You were willing to sacrifice yourself to keep it away from the town. You aren't dark and you're not evil and even if it is in your past it is not your future."

"Then why did it come after me?"

Emma chews her lip, "I don't think it did. I think it came after me."

Regina tilts her head up looking into Emma's eyes, confusion painting her expression, "You? Emma you're the saviour."

"I know but I'm also new to magic," Emma points out, "At this stage without the right guidance my magic could go either way. I'm no stranger to darkness Regina. I've made plenty of mistakes and I have my fair share of regrets. I could be tempted Regina."

"No you couldn't," Regina says confidently.

"You don't know that."

"I do," Regina replies, "All have us have the potential to do good or do evil or anything in between. That potential does not define us. Who we choose to be and what we choose to do with that potential is what makes us. I choose not to be evil and be a hero and so do you. I won't let you fall into darkness Emma. I know what it's like. It's a cloying, taunting kind of dark. It warps and drives you mad and I love you too much to let it take you down."

Emma smiles at her, "Stronger together right?"

"Right," Regina replies with a bright smile as she closes the small gap between them to kiss Emma lovingly. Both women draw the kiss out determined to keep the loving and tender moment for as long as they can until they have to pause for breath.

"Don't scare me again," Emma says seriously, "I really thought I'd lost you today Regina. I know you always think the darkest heart is you and that you're the evil queen but you're not. You're you, incredibly and beautifully you. Everyone in this town knows you're a hero. You don't have to keep proving it. Being a hero does not mean looking for trouble and putting yourself in danger when you don't have to."

Regina nods, "I know but I thought it was meant for me and though I couldn't save myself I thought I could at least save you from being on the lunch menu too."

Emma nods in understanding, "From now on the only thing on the lunch menu is root beer and kale salad."

Regina smiles snuggling close to Emma and kissing her again, "Sounds perfect to me."

_Thanks for reading :)_

 


End file.
